SNP Aberdeen South & North Kincardine MSP Maureen Watt has welcomed the launch today of a service to provide at-home hospice care for children in Aberdeen with life-shortening illnesses.  Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) at Home will offer nursing care for children with life-shortening illnesses; activities for the children and their families; end of life care; and advice and support for all members of the family. 

The children and their families utilise the at home service in between scheduled hospice visits or if the children are too ill to travel to a hospice.  CHAS provides all services at no cost to the families and is currently the sole youth-centred hospice charity in Scotland.

Commenting ahead of attending the launch, Ms Watt said:

“The establishment of CHAS at Home in Aberdeen is welcome news as it provides a more convenient way for the families to access the first-rate care and support system that CHAS offers. 

“CHAS at Home provides custom tailored nursing and emotional care to the families during their time of need.  With the assistance of the CHAS at Home team, the families are able to spend time together while receiving attentive and skilled care and support.    

“The importance of the support that the CHAS staff, volunteers, and donors provide cannot be overstated.  I know that the children and their families will receive excellent care as well as a valuable additional support system within the privacy and comfort of their own home.”

Aberdeen · Children · Health

SNP Aberdeen South & North Kincardine MSP Maureen Watt has lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament highlighting the £1.1 million investment by Parkinson’s UK into eight research projects, including work at the University of Aberdeen. The study by Dr Carl Counsell will receive £188,685 over three years and examine the changes to people with Parkinson’s over a prolonged period of time.

Parkinson’s UK spends over £4.5 million every year on research into the condition with the aim of finding a cure and improving the lives of people with the condition and their families.

 Commenting Ms Watt said:

“The level of investment that Parkinson’s UK puts towards critical research into Parkinson’s disease every year is something that we should all recognise and applaud. I am sure that most people will know someone who has been affected by the condition and the continuing efforts to learn more about Parkinson’s are essential if a cure is to be found.

“The fact that the University of Aberdeen is playing a key role at the cutting edge of research into the condition is something that I know people in the area will be extremely proud of. Studying the long term impacts of Parkinson’s and how people with the condition change over time is something that is extremely important.

“The size of the study at the University of Aberdeen will go a long way towards creating a much clearer picture of how Parkinson’s progresses than has been possible through previous, smaller studies.

“The cross party backing my motion has already received shows just how strong the support for the work of Parkinson’s UK is and I hope that the research they fund will see further breakthroughs take place in the months and years ahead.”

Health · Parkinson's · Research · University of Aberdeen

That the Parliament welcomes the £1.1 million investment by Parkinson’s UK to support eight research projects into Parkinson’s disease taking place in Scottish universities, including work conducted by Dr Carl Counsell at the University of Aberdeen, which is looking at the changes that happen over time for people with Parkinson’s and their carers; applauds the fact that the charity spends over £4.5 million every year on groundbreaking research with the aim of finding a cure and improving life for people with Parkinson’s and their families; recognises that research funded by Parkinson’s UK has identified two of the most important genes that have been linked to the condition and has pioneered work into more effective medications to manage Parkinson’s symptoms; notes the potential for Parkinson’s research to inform work on other neurodegenerative conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, progressive supranuclear palsy and motor neurone disease, and looks forward to more exciting developments in Parkinson’s UK research so that people can live free of the symptoms of Parkinson’s.

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That the Parliament congratulates Aberdeen College and Banff and Buchan College on signing a federation agreement to maximise access to effective learning opportunities in the north east of Scotland; notes that, while both institutions will remain entirely independent, they will work to coordinate the education that they offer and share resources to avoid unnecessary duplication; believes that it is more important than ever that Scotland’s further and higher education sectors work together to maximise the opportunities that they are able to offer students, and applauds the wider collaborative work of both colleges with Robert Gordon University and the University of Aberdeen, along with local schools, to improve and maximise the learning experience and career prospects of students in North East Scotland.

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To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government plans to use the £103 million released from the Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Answered by the Rt Hon Alex Salmond, MSP (Taken on Thursday, November 17, 2011): I hear, “Say thank you,” from the Tory benches. I am delighted to say that, after a huge amount of negotiation, the Westminster Government has decided in its munificence to give Scotland half of the money to which it is entitled. That is amazing. There is a £202 million fund of Scotland’s money paid by Scotland’s generators and it is right and proper that we did a deal to try to release some of it, but it is reasonable to say that the Labour Government would never agree to such a deal.

Does it not speak volumes for the attitude of David McLetchie—I see him away in the back benches now; I do not know whether that is significant—and others that they think that it should be counted a tremendous triumph to get 50 per cent of Scotland’s money? Would it not be better if we could spend 100 per cent of Scotland’s money?

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Maureen Watt, MSP: Given that the long-overdue release of that £103 million has been made possible only by the Scottish Government agreeing that the other half of the fossil fuel levy money that the Treasury holds would fund the creation of the green investment bank, does the First Minister believe that the case for Edinburgh to be the home of that bank is overwhelming?

The First Minister: Yes. As First Minister, I express a consensual point to unite the Parliament: Fergus Ewing and I have written to the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable, making the point that the fact that the other 50 per cent of Scotland‟s money will help to capitalise the green investment bank is yet another reason for the bank to be headquartered in Scotland.

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To ask the Scottish Executive when the public consultation on future rail passenger services will open and how people can get involved.

Answered by The Minister for Housing and Transport, Keith Brown, MSP (Taken on Tuesday, November 15, 2011): I am pleased to announce that the Rail 2014 public consultation is being opened today for a period of 14 weeks, closing on 20 February 2012. All details are published on the Transport Scotland website and the consultation document is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre for members (Bib. number 53357). A series of consultation events and meetings, with interested organisations across Scotland, has been arranged during the period. There will also be public events at railway stations across the country.

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SNP Aberdeen South & North Kincardine MSP Maureen Watt has expressed her concern that Argus Care Homes which is based in Torry in her constituency, but operates nursing and residential homes throughout Scotland has entered administration. Argus employs 780 people across Scotland and has 500 residents. News of the entry into administration comes just the day after 50 workers at AC Yule’s near-by Tullos site were told they were to be made redundant following that company entering administration.

Administrators PKF are understood to be seeking buyers for the homes as going concerns and hope to minimise the disruption to residents.

Commenting Ms Watt said:

“This is an extremely concerning development, both for staff at the nursing and residential homes run by Argus and of course the residents living there. Coming so soon after the announcement of job losses in Tullos, it is another hugely disappointing blow for Aberdeen South & North Kincardine.

“I understand that the administrators will seek to minimise the disruption caused by administration by seeking to sell the homes as going concerns, which is undoubtedly welcome. However, the uncertainty of the situation will be of enormous concern to everyone affected.

“I will be seeking assurances that the Scottish Government will offer any assistance possible to help ensure residents are able to remain in their homes and the negative impact of this situation is kept to a minimum.

“The progress that has been made in finding new operators for care homes run by Southern Cross should give Argus residents some reassurance. However, it is extremely unfortunate that we are in the situation of having to find new care home operators for another company so soon after the events surrounding Southern Cross.”

Care Homes · Homes · Torry

SNP Aberdeen South & North Kincardine MSP Maureen Watt has welcomed the announcement of the planned Olympic Torch route ahead of the London 2012 games, which will see the torch pass through several communities in Aberdeen South & North Kincardine.

Residents of Peterculter, Bieldside, Cults and Aberdeen will be able to see the Torch pass through their local communities on the 11^th of June next year.

Commenting Ms Watt said:

“The chance to see the Olympic torch during its journey to light the Olympic flame at the start of a Games is something that does not come around often, so I am delighted that residents in Aberdeen South & North Kincardine will get the chance to witness this.

“For most people in the area, this will be their only chance to see any part of the Olympics in person so I am sure there will be a high turnout.

“I know that there will be a warm welcome for the Olympic flame next year in Aberdeen South & North Kincardine and I am looking forward to seeing it pass through the area.”

Olympic Torch · Olympics

SNP Aberdeen South & North Kincardine MSP Maureen Watt has met with Bobby Hain, Director of Channels at STV, to raise her concerns over announced job losses at the organisation in Aberdeen and their impact on media in the area.

During the meeting, Ms Watt made clear her belief that any reduction in staff should as far as possible be achieved without resort to compulsory redundancies.

Commenting Ms Watt said:

“The recent announcement of planned job losses at STV’s Tullos studio has been understandably concerning to staff at the studio and to people in the North East who value the quality of the news bulletins produced there. As such I welcome the fact that Bobby Hain agreed to meet with me to discuss those concerns.

“I was pleased to hear that STV regard the possibility of compulsory redundancies as a last resort and will be avoided as much as possible. I am sure that this will provide a degree of reassurance to staff at the studio, despite their understandable concern for the future.

“I was also glad to hear that STV intends to remain committed to regionalisation in its output, particularly through the provision of local news sites which are already providing excellent coverage in the North East. I know that many people in the area will sincerely hope that STV live up to this in the months and years ahead.”

Aberdeen · Jobs · Media

That the Parliament welcomes the publication of a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers into the future of the North Sea oil and gas industry and the opportunities for Aberdeen to remain as a world-class energy capital; notes that the study identifies a potential £376 billion worth of oil and gas that can potentially be extracted from waters west of Shetland and that this follows reports that 40% of North Sea oil and gas remains to be extracted; welcomes the importance attached to encouraging oil and gas companies to diversify into renewables and bring their expertise to bear on this industry; applauds the study’s focus on encouraging collaboration as the key to securing Aberdeen’s energy future, and looks forward to a collaborative approach to ensure a bright future for Europe’s energy capital.

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